EPA, labor union reach impasse

By Eric Katz

November 21, 2012

A federal employee union has accused the Environmental Protection Agency of taking “anti-union” stances in labor negotiations, saying the agency has rejected good-faith compromises and declared a stalemate.

The American Federation of Government Employees has filed with the Federal Service Impasses Panel, an entity designed to resolve stalled agency-union negotiations over conditions of employment.

“The union has been extremely patient with the agency negotiators and since May 3, 2010, has endured over two and a half years of delay tactics, implausible excuses, surface bargaining and overall bad-faith bargaining,” AFGE Council 238 President Charles Orzehoskie said in a statement. “I wonder if there is an element of anti-union animus on the part of EPA managers responsible for these negotiations.”

The union said it offered to concede some of its statutory rights, but EPA declared an impasse anyway.

Orzehoskie added the Obama administration has not demonstrated a commitment to protecting organized labor.

“We would expect this administration to cooperate with labor to make EPA one of the best and most productive places to work,” he said. This would facilitate EPA continuing to attract the best and brightest employees, ensuring that its mission to protect human health and the environment will continue to be carried out for future generations.”